Navy wins maiden paintball competition, polo tournament

The Nigerian Navy (NN) has won the maiden Paintball competition organised by the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) Abuja in collaboration with Forest Hunters. Held at the weekend, it was part of activities that commemorated this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day (AFRD).

The competition was held at Three Bridges Park, Idu, Abuja.

The AFRD is an event celebrated yearly on January 15 to remember Nigeria’s fallen heroes, who died in active service and to honour military veterans.

Special guest of honour at the competition, Chief of Defence Staff, General LEO Irabor, disclosed that the Paintball competition is novel in the Armed Forces, adding, however, that DHQ considered it worthwhile because of what it represents to the Force and youths of Nigeria.

“It is envisaged that events like this will deepen military-civilian interaction in our country.”
 
Also speaking on the event, Lead Representative of the Forest Hunters Adventures Limited, Abuja, Mr. Bayo Omoboriowo, explained that the competition was to depict the sacrifice the military makes to have a united and peaceful Nigeria.

He added that the game was categorised into Novelty Knockout 1 and 2, as well as Novelty Final.

The participating teams comprised the DHQ, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Air Force. On completion of the novelty final, the NN won the competition.

Meanwhile, the Navy also beat the field to win the Port Harcourt International Polo Tournament, tagged Explore polo, discover friendship.

The competition, held from January 8 to 14 Port Harcourt, featured four categories (Cups), including the TY Danjuma Cup (-2 to +2), the OB Lulu Briggs (+3 to +5), the King TJT Princewill Cup (+6 to +9) and the King Alfred Diette-Spiff Cup (+9 and above).

Playing in the TY Danjuma Cup, the NNPT 1 competed against Port Harcourt Sidafeco on the first day and won ‘8-2,’ before beating Port Harcourt Kwoti-Fi ‘8-1.5’.

In the final, the NNPT 1 met Port Harcourt Sidafeco again and won ‘6-2’ to retain the TY Danjuma Cup.

In the OB Lulu Briggs Cup, NNPT 2 defeated Ibadan Jericho in the opening match ‘7.5-3,’ but lost its second match against Lagos Ikoyi club (LIC) by half a goal.

But the team still qualified for final on goals advantage, where it defeated Port Harcourt Paragon ‘4-3.5’ to win the OB Lulu Briggs Cup.
 
Chairman of Nigerian Navy Polo, Commodore OBF Oladipo and Polo Captain, Commodore SD Ibrahim led the victorious NNPT.

Others were Captain (NN) A. Yusuf and Lt. Commodore AOS Ogunshola.
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